The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-11-03
Stories of the War.

0tObuCS VI OuC VV0ue
"If the medical corps of the army
should give their "reminiscences they
could add great many interesting
stories to the incidents of the war
which make such popular reading to-
day." said an ex.army surgeon now
connected with one of the departments
in Washington.
sin 1868 / was the acting assistant
surgeon of the Eighteenth Pennsylva-
MIA Cavalry. We crossed the Poto-
maic at Raccoon Fork. and marched to
Frederick, where the command was
changed, General Hooker succeeding
Gen. Meade at the head of the divis-
ion, and Gen. Stahel was made COM
mandant OF cavalry, in place of Gen.
Pleasanton.
son Sunday, July 2, the first bri-
gade was engaged in a small fight at
Littlestown. and following that we
had another little furry at Red Mills.
Then came the battle of Gettysburg.
l was detailed to take charge of the
hospital at Hanover, which was few
miles away from the field, and two or
three days after the fight poor fel-
low was brought in who had been
found in wheat field, shot all to
pieces. He had lain in the broiling
i'm for three days without food or
shelter of any kind and he was in a
horrible condition. His case seemed
a hopeless one from the moment we
laid eyes upon him, but everything
was done to ease his dying hours, and
to make him comfortable as he passed
out of this world. Under the direc-
tion of the supervising surgeon, q large
dose of morphine was administered in
order that he might pass away with
as little consciousness of pain as pos
sible. But forty-elght hours after
ward he still lived, and did not seem
at all inclined to quit.
"Just then a young lady from Han
over. who had been helping around
the hospital, asked if there were any
special cases of which she might fake
charge. She was told that there were,
and was assigned to look after this
poor fellow. She did her work so we'll
that shortly after he was able to be
removed from the field hospital to q
better one. where he continued to inn
prove, and, shortly after, entirely re-
covered. This mans name was Nc
Even, and he had been a private in a
Missouri regiment. When DISCHARGED
as convalescent he at once married
the young lady who did so much to-
Word saving his life, and soon alter
ward returned to his command, where
he rapidly arose in rank, and was
finally mustered out as Captain"
''There was another interesting case
which came under my observation.
At the battle of Ballard's Dam, seven
miles below Falmouth. Lieut.. w. c.
Weeks of the Fifth Michigan Cavalry,
received shot wound in the
foot which entirely shattered
all the interior bones. He
was taken to the rear and attended
by DR.. Wooster of the First Michigan
Cavalry and DR.. Wood of the Fifth
New York. These surgeons at once
announced that the entire foot
would have to be amputated, but
Weeks declined to allow the operation
TO be performed until he had sseen-tho
surgeon of his own regiment, DR.. Ar
thur K. st. Clair, in whom he had the
utmost confidence. As soon as it
could be done St. Clair examined the
foot and decided that a portion OF it
could be saved. 1t was late at night,
but an improvised surgeons table
was prepared and a number Of tallow
dips were lighted in order that the op-
Grafton might be properly performed.
Then DR.. st. Clair dlssected out all the
anterior bones of the TO ot and brought
down the heel bone, so that it was di-
rectly under instead OF behind the ex-
tremity of the leg. From this bone
he removed the articulating surface,
and, bringing flap of the flesh
around. finished what is known as the
Pirogoff operation.
This was the first and only time that
this operation was performed during
the war. The field hospital was not
q very convenient place for q man to
recover from such a wound as this
had been, and Weeks was sent on to
Washington, where he had quarters
in the hospital on Armory square.
Here the attending surgeons examin-
ed him and decided that, inasmuch as
there was great danger of blood poi
soning, and little hope ofsaving even a
portion OF the foot, he must submit
to an amputation OF the lower por-
tion of his leg. Weeks absolutely re-
fused to have this done. He said that
DR.. st. Clair had told him that with
proper care he might recover, and he
believed in st. Clair more than any
other surgeon in the army. This some
what disgusted the doctors. who had
little time for sympathy in those days,
and Weeks was allowed to remain
with very little attention. He laid
there for some weeks, growing con-
stantly worse and almost neglected,
until one day Senator Zach Chandler
visited the hospital looking for Mich
igan men.
Weeks heard his voice as he passed
through the wards and shouted to
Chandler that he was a Michigan man.
and that if ne did not receive atten-
tion he would surely die. Chandler
responded in his characteristic style;
by Cd, if there is any care this
side OF h. that q Michigan man
wants he shall have it, and he was as
good as his word.
"Under the patronage OF the Sena-
tor, Weeks fingered along for some
time, suffering greatly from blood
poisoning and from malarial compli-
cations; but finally he recovered and
was discharged. When last heard
from he was living in Allegan and
wore an artificial foot, upon which he
was able to get around very nicely"
The Lees Old Family Bible.